June 30, 2016: There is an Indian parade this week at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club in Taipei. Our golfers gave a decent account of themselves in the first round of the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship. Three men shot 70 on Thursday – Himmat Rai, Shubhankar Sharma and Chiragh Kumar.
S Chikkarangappa and Khalin Joshi shot 71 each while Gaganjeet Bhullar was even through 18 holes. Rahil Gangjee had a poor day on the course, signing on an 83 that puts him in distinct danger of missing the cut. Namchok Tantipokhakul from Thailand and Spain’s Javi Colomo had a share of the first round lead after posting 65 each.
Another Thai golfer, Pariya Junhasavasdikul and Spaniard Carlos Pigem were lying one shot back. Casey O’Toole and Miguel Tabuena rounded off the top five, a further stroke behind after making a solid 67 on Thursday.
Himmat shot a birdie at the fourth hole before adding two more at the 10th and 18th holes. His lone blemish in the first round came at the par-4 13th hole.
Shubhankar front ended his scoring holes – firing birdies at the 4th and cushioning it with back to back birdies at the 10th and 11th holes. Just like Himmat, he too suffered a bogey at the 13th hole.
Chiragh fired three birdies in the first six holes before adding another at the 15th hole. But unfortunately for the in-form golfer, he surrendered a pair of late bogeys to drop back to two under.
Chikkarangappa had a quiet start to his week. Just two birdies and a bogey at the 17th accounted for his score of 71.
Khalin Joshi scored at the first and fourteenth holes, but surrendered a shot at the 8th hole as he remained locked with Chikka in T42.
Gaganjeet and Rahil have their work cut out on Friday
Gangjee made bogeys at the 8th and 12th holes before correcting somewhat with a birdie at the difficult 13th hole.
It will take a good under par round on Friday to ensure that some of our golfers do not endure a missed cut at the end of Friday.
